Switch-box.



A. C. POWER.

SWITCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1910.

Patented June 1, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. C. POWER.

SWITCH BOX.

APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT. 19. 1910.

1 1 4 1 3 5 9 Patented June 1, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SWITCH-B OX.

Specification of. Letters Patent.

Patented J une 1,'1915.

Application filed September 19, 1910. smar No. 582,654.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER C. PownR, a citizen'of the United States, residing-at Pen'dleton, inthe county of Umatilla and State of Oregon, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Boxes,

.of which the following is a'specification,

- plate, without necessitating the employment of other securing means such as bolts, screws, or the like.

The invention consists in'the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

5 is a similar "view of thewall plate.

is a detail plan of one of the binding posts 10.

In disclosing the manner in which my improved switch-box is intended to'b'e used,

I have illustrated in'the accompanying drawings a'switchmechanism which is mounted within an insulating innereasel which is "preferably made of porcelain, but may be made of any other suitable non-conducting material. The said inner casei'srectaaigular in form and'is open a't'itsfront side. The

bottom or inner side 3 of the inner case is thicker than the side walls .4. The case may be of any suitable length accordingto the number ofswitches which areto be disposed therein. Where more'than one switch is employed in the case, the latter is proyided'with 'a number of cells corresponding innumber with the switches, there being one cell fcr'each switch, the cells being here indicated at 5 and separated from one another by thin; partition walls 6, with which the porcelaininner case'is formed. The rear side or base of the inner case is also provided for each cell thereof with a pair of openings '7 for the reception of the threaded stems 8 of the binding posts 9, 10, and also with diametrically enlarged counter-sinks 11 for the reception of the nuts 12'and washers 13 on the said threaded stems of the binding 'posts,'the shoulders 14 of the binding posts bearing against the inner side of said base or'rear wall. Said base or rear wall of the inner case is also provided for each cell thereof with openings 15 through which 'wires may be run to the binding posts. The upper and lower sides of the inner case are also provided for each cell thereof with openin'gs'16 through which a screw driver "may be' run to tighten the'screws against the wires in the binding posts. The said nner case is provided'on its rear 'orinner side-with'studs 17 which project fromits corners. Each binding post 9 has its inner end bifurcated to provi'de a pair of parallel sp'aced lugs '18. -Each binding post 10 has a :pair of parallel 'space'd'switch plates, the said plates being held in place by a'pin 21' which passes through "transversely alined openings with which said plates and said binding posts are'provi'ded.

:A-switch'knifeQQ isprovided with an integral arm 23 which projects at right angles therefrom. The inner end of the switch knife is "pivotally' mounted between the lugs 18 of the binding post 9 and'on a pivot screw 24. -A "handle 25 is secured to the outer end'of the switch knife, said handle being connected by a screw 26 to'a sleeve 27, which'sleeve has a bifurcation which receives the outer end of the switch knife and is attached to the switch knife by a pin 28 as shown. -On opposite sides of the arm -of-theswitch knife, near the inner end of thesaid :arm, areqa 'pair of cleatbars 29 which are securedby a screw '30. A switch blade i31iwhich is preferably made 'of sheet copper or other metal of high conductivity has its inner portion disposed between the projectingends of the cleat bars and pivotally secured thereto by a screw 32, theextreme inner'end of the said switch blade being beveled on the side next to the arm'23 as ing, with a pair of openings 37 which afford access to the openings 15 of the inner at 33 so that the said switch blade is adapted for slight angular movement with respect to the arm 23. Coil springs 34 are disposed on opposite sides of the arm 23, and the switch blade, and have their ends connected respectively to said arm and said switch blade, the function of the said'springs being to make a quick break of an opening move ment of the switch blade. By moving the switch knife, by means of its handle 25, the switch blade and a portion'of the arm 23 may be caused to enter the space between the plates 19 of the binding post 10, and hence establish electrical connection between the post 9 and the post 10, or moved outwardly from between said arms so as to break said connection.

It will be understood that the switch "mechanism above described constitutes no quickly withdraw the switch blade from be-, tween the said plates and close the same against the arm of the switch knife, thereby -making a quickbreak of the circuit and avoid injurious sparking.

The inner case 1 of insulating material is inclosed in a metallic outer case 34". .The side walls 35-and rear wall 36 of the said outer case are integral, the-"said side and rear walls being formed from-a rectangular sheet of metal bent to dispose the sidewalls 35 parallel with each'other. The rear wall 36 is provided, for each cell of the inner cascasing, and are concentric therewith. On the side walls 35 of the outer case at the front edgesithereof are angle pieces 38, the

inner .a'rmspf which bear against the side walls 35am" are adjustably secured thereto by screws The outer arms of the said angle pieces are flush with the front sides of the inner and'outer casings. iThe top 40 j and bottoin 41 of the outer casing are made of sheet metal, are identical inconstruction, and -each of them is formed with side flanges 42 to bear against the side walls 35, and inner flanges 43 to bear against the rearwall 36, the said flanges being secured to the saidwalls by means of Screws 44 which admit the said top and bottom plates being readily attached to or detached from the side walls and rear side of the outer casing.

' front arms thereof are disposed flush with the front sides of said inner and outer casings. The front, open sides of the inner and outer casings are covered by a face plate 48, the length and breadth of which are such as to enable the same to entirely cover the inner and outer casings, and to also cover the angle pieces 38, 46 which project from the sides and top and bottom of the outer casing. The angle pieces 38 which are on the sides of the outer casing are secured to the wall a by means of suitable screws. The face plate is secured to the angle pieces 46 which project from the upper and lower sides of the outer casings by means of screws 49 which are inserted in openings with which said face plate and said angle pieces are provided.

The face plate is provided near its lower portion with vertical slots 50 corresponding in number with the cells and switches, there being one of the slots 50 provided for each switch knife. the inner narrowed portion of the handle of the switch knife operating in the said slot, the major portion of the handle projecting outwardly from the face plate as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to open any one of the switches, it is only necessary to draw downwardly on the handle of the switch knife. To close said switch. said handle must be moved up wardlv in the slot 5.0. The studs 17 on the rear side of the innercasing bear against the corners of the rear wall of the outer casing, and serve to space said rear wall of the outer casing from that of the inner casing as shown.

By providing the inner casing with an appropriate number of cells. and correspond inglv regulating the size of the outer casing, my invention may be employed for any number of switches as will be understood.

l The herein described switch box including an outer rectangular casingopen upon its front side, the casing body consisting of top and bot-tom'walls and integral side and rear walls detachablv secured to said top and'bottorn'walls, an insulating' casing dis posed within the outercasing but entirely disconnected therefrom, said inner and outer casings having o enings in their top and bottom walls. said inner. casing being. provided with lugs'proiecting from its rear face for engagement with the. rear wall of the outer: casing whereby the openings of the insulating casing are disposed in coinciding relationship with the openings of the outer casing, said inner casing also having its front side open and the front edges of the walls of said casing being disposed in the same plane, as the front edges of the walls of the outer casing, and a face plate removably attached to the outer casing and extending over the open sides of the inner and outer casings and intimatel en aged with the front edges of the we ls 0 said casings.

2. The herein described switch box comprising an outer casing of rectangular form in cross section having openings in its top and bottom walls and adjacent to the rear end thereof, an insulating inner casing disposed within said outer casing and having an integral rear wall provided with spacing lugs to engage the rear wall of the outer casing, said inner casing also being provided in its top and bottom walls with openings to register with the openings in the corresponding walls of the outer casing when said lugs engage with the rear wall of the outer casing, the front sides of said inner and outer casings being open and the forward edges of the walls of said casings being disposed in the same plane, and a face plate rcmovably secured to the top and bottom walls of the outer casing and engaging with the forward edges of the walls of both of said casings to prevent longitudinal movement of the inner casing with respect to the outer casing.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the resence of two witnesses.

AL XANDER C. POWER. Witnesses:

CHAS. H. CARTER, L. C. CAMPBELL. 

